Congress slams offer of class IV jobs to slain leaders` kin

Raipur: The BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh government`s move to offer class three and four jobs on compassionate grounds to the family members of senior Congress leaders killed in the May 25 Maoist attack in Bastar has landed in controversy with Opposition terming it an insult and demanded an apology from the government.

"Such a proposal from state government is like scratching the wounds of bereaved families. How the BJP government can offer class four and class three posts to the dependents of senior Congress leaders. It is irresponsible..." Congress spokesperson Shailesh Nitin Trivedi said on Monday, objecting the decision.

He further alleged that while the state government failed to provide security to the party leaders when they were alive, now it was further humiliating their families by offering such a proposal.

Former Union Minister VC Shukla, state Congress president Nandkumar Patel, his son Dinesh, veteran leader Mahendra Karma and former legislator Uday Mudaliyar were among 29 people who were killed in the deadly naxal attack in Jiram valley of Darbha region in Bastar on May 25.

The state government had offered to provide jobs on compassionate grounds to the next of kin of those killed in the attack.

"Slain Congress leader Nandkumar Patel was elected as a legislator for five times and served as Home Minister both in undivided Madhya Pradesh and later in Chhattisgarh. His son Dinesh was well-educated," Trivedi said.

"Mahendra Karma, who had served as the leader of Opposition in the Assembly, was also a Member of Parliament and former minister. Uday Mudaliar was a former legislator," he said.

"It`s an insult to the martyrs to offer their spouses and kin a class three and four job," the spokesman said while demanding an apology from Chief Minister Raman Singh.

They also demanded that the proposal be withdrawn.

In the wake of the attack, the state government had ordered that a kin of each of those killed in the Darbha attack would be given a job on compassionate grounds as per their qualifications.